1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to kitchen appliances and, more particularly, to a system for mounting a kitchen appliance to a bottom surface of a kitchen cabinet.
2. Prior Art
U.S. Pat. No. 4,540,146 discloses a mounting arrangement for connecting a kitchen appliance to a bottom surface of a kitchen cabinet. The system includes two brackets with rail-like horizontal hangers for connecting to lateral sides of the appliance. U.S. Pat. No. 5,388,793 discloses a support system for a kitchen appliance with a pair of brackets with ribs that connect to handle-like members on the lateral sides of the appliance. In the prior art, individual mounting brackets were designed and developed for a particular product. This resulted in many different bracket designs. It is an object of the present invention to provide a mounting system with a minimum number of different parts and which can be used with different products and hung at different intervals along a kitchen cabinet.
In accordance with one embodiment of the present invention, a system is provided for connecting an appliance to a bottom surface of a kitchen cabinet, the system comprising at least two brackets and at least one mounting section connected to the appliance. The brackets are connectable to the bottom surface of the kitchen cabinet at any one of a number of different suitable spacing distances between the two brackets. The mounting section is connected to the appliance for mounting the appliance to the brackets. The mounting section is adapted to connect to the brackets when the brackets are at any one of the different suitable spacing distances.
In accordance with another embodiment of the present invention, a kitchen appliance mounting bracket is provided comprising a first section for connecting the bracket to a kitchen cabinet; and a second section connected to the first section for connecting the bracket to an appliance. The second section comprises a locating system with two resiliently deflectable spring sections which are deflectable in opposite directions for snaplock connecting the second section to the appliance.
In accordance with another embodiment of the present invention, a kitchen appliance mounting bracket is provided comprising a first section for connecting the bracket to a first portion of an appliance; and a second section for connecting the bracket to a second portion of the appliance. The first and second sections are directly connected to each other or the bracket alternatively comprises at least one third section connecting the first section to the second section. A length of the bracket is configurable to a desired length.